2. Learning / Development

L&D is here to help you grow - through training, webinars, and resources built around what you and your team need. Here's what's coming up, plus a few wins worth celebrating from recent sessions.

AU/NZ: AI recruitment scams are becoming highly convincing

👓 2 minute read

Ten years ago, phishing was about volume. Today it's about precision.

Artificial intelligence is enabling scammers to analyse publicly available LinkedIn profiles before making contact, creating recruitment approaches that are highly personalised and far more convincing than the generic scam emails of the past.

Rather than sending mass emails, scammers identify your skills, career history and achievements before crafting a message that appears to come from a legitimate recruiter acting on behalf of a well-known employer. The result is an approach that feels less like spam and more like an unexpected career opportunity.

The email typically begins with a brief introduction and explains that the recruiter is filling a senior position for a recognised company. It references specific career highlights from your LinkedIn profile and explains why you appear to be an ideal candidate. Links to the employer's website and the recruiter's LinkedIn profile often reinforce the appearance of legitimacy.

If you express interest, the scam becomes more sophisticated.

A detailed position description follows - often with a generous salary range prominently displayed in the heading - and asks questions about your notice period, current remuneration and the salary you would require to move.

The role itself frequently mirrors your existing experience so closely that it appears to have been written specifically for you. A closing date only days away provides the urgency common to many scams.

Warning signs

Look for these indicators before responding:

The email originates from a free Gmail or Outlook account rather than the recruiter's corporate domain
The ‘recruiter’s’ LinkedIn profile has few connections, little activity or only a recent history
The role seems almost perfectly matched to your current skills and experience
The salary range is featured prominently from the outset—something executive recruiters rarely do.
The application closes within a matter of days, creating unnecessary urgency.

Protect yourself

If you receive an unsolicited recruitment approach:

Verify the recruiter independently by contacting the company through its official website rather than replying to the email
Never click links or open attachments until you have confirmed the approach is genuine
Never send your CV, copies of identification documents or other personal information until you've independently verified both the recruiter and the role
Be especially cautious if you're asked to pay for résumé reviews, background checks, certifications or any other service to improve your chances of securing the position
Report the email as phishing and block the sender

The sophistication of these scams is increasing rapidly because AI can produce messages that appear to have been written by someone who has taken the time to understand your career. In reality, it may simply be an AI model analysing information you've chosen to make public. Treat every unsolicited recruitment approach with healthy scepticism until you've verified who is really behind it.

AU: NSW principals urged to help shape major pricing reforms

👓 7 minute video briefing

NSW Fair Trading has released the draft Regulation supporting the next stage of the Property and Stock Agents reforms, and the proposed changes could significantly alter how agents determine, document and communicate estimated selling prices.

Importantly, these documents are not yet law. Fair Trading is seeking industry feedback before the Regulation is finalised, giving principals a valuable opportunity to identify practical issues and suggest improvements before the proposed commencement date of 16 November 2026.

Among the most significant proposals are:

Comparable sales will follow a prescribed methodology, including search radiuses, sales periods and selection criteria.
Pricing decisions will require much more detailed records, including how comparable sales were chosen, offers received and market feedback considered.
A new Statement of Information will become a mandatory consumer document, disclosing suburb median prices and the comparable sales supporting the estimated selling price.
Agency agreements will need to be stored electronically for at least three years.

Although many of the proposals formalise practices already adopted by professional agencies, the consultation documents introduce a far more prescriptive framework for documenting pricing decisions than currently exists.

This consultation matters.

The practical experience of principals working with vendors and buyers every day is exactly the perspective Fair Trading is seeking before these requirements are finalised.

Feedback on the draft Regulation, Statement of Information forms and CPD provider conditions closes at 5.00 pm on Thursday 13 August 2026. NSW principals who have received the consultation package are strongly encouraged to review the documents and provide feedback during the consultation period.

Consultation draft Property and Stock Agents Amendment (Underquoting and Other Agent Conduct) Regulation 2026.pdf

Consultation Paper - Draft Property and Stock Agents Amendment (Underquoting and Other Agent Conduct) Regulation (July 2026).pdf

Draft Statement of Information forms (July 2026).pdf

How to provide feedback

Please provide feedback to PSAConsultation@customerservice.nsw.gov.au by 5:00 pm 13 August

Got a question? Please speak to your NSW State Membership Managers, Sarah or Peter.

Sarah Barton – 0467 627 486

Peter Mitrovich – 0411 889 393

AU: AML training doesn’t end with a webinar

👓 1 minute read

The recent AML/CTF webinar series delivered in partnership with FirstAML has concluded, but the learning programme is continuing with a range of new resources designed to help members prepare for Australia's new anti-money laundering obligations.

If you were unable to attend one or more of the webinars - or would simply like a refresher - all three webinar recordings are now available to watch on demand. A summary report has also been prepared, allowing offices to review attendance by state and by individual session.

Over the coming weeks, the Learning & Development team will also release:

A comprehensive Q&A summary covering the questions raised across all three webinars
A new series of eLearning modules exploring Why AML Matters, What to Look For, and AML in Practice
Additional updates and resources on the AML/CTF section of FN Central (soon to become MyFN)

These resources are expected to be available by the end of the month and will complement the practical guidance already provided through the webinar series, giving members a central library of training materials to support ongoing compliance.

AU: SA/NT property managers celebrate National Property Managers Day

👓 1 minute read

Eighteen property managers and principals from across South Australia, Broken Hill and Alice Springs came together in Adelaide last week for a Property Management Think Tank, sharing ideas and practical solutions to some of the profession's everyday challenges.

Hosted at Cotality's Adelaide office, the session covered topics including tenant vacate processes, tribunal hearings, tenant arrears, 360-degree camera technology, fee structures, current market conditions and strategies for growing rent rolls organically. Members also heard about the upcoming Property Management Conference on the Gold Coast this October.

The event concluded with small gift packs to mark National Property Managers Day on 24 July, recognising the outstanding contribution property managers make to their businesses every day.